Looseleaf binders

ABSTRACT

A looseleaf binder in which a pair of clamping elements are biassed towards each other by one or more curved springs, in a manner permitting sheets of paper to be gripped between said clamping elements, has a first pocket of synthetic plastics material housing one of the clamping elements, and a second pocket of synthetic plastics material housing the other one of the clamping elements, said first pocket being integral with, or forming part of, a front cover of synthetic plastics material, said second pocket being integral with, or forming part of, a rear cover of synthetic plastics material.

United States Patent {72 I inventor Michael John Anthony Lawes 1 l, Jew St, Brighton. Sussex, England [21 Appl. No. 856,076 {221 Filed Sept. 8,1969 [45] Patented Aug. i7, [971 32 Priority Sept. 24, 1968 l 3 3 Great Britain [3 i 45393/68 [54] LOOSELEAF BINDERS 7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl. 24/673 [51] Int. Cl B42t1/00 [50] Field of Search 24/675, 67.7, 255 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 475,259 5/1892 Turck 24/675 881,514 3/1908 Wiedeman 24/67.7

Prima Examiner Donald A. Griffin AttorneyCulien, Sloman & Cantor ABSTRACT: A looseieaf binder in which a pair of clamping elements are biassed towards each other by one or more curved springs, in a manner permitting sheets of paper to be gripped between said clamping elements, has a first pocket of synthetic plastics material housing one of the clamping elements, and a second pocket of synthetic plastics material housing the other one of the clamping elements, said first pocket being integral with, or forming part of, a front cover of synthetic plastics material said second pocket being integral with, or forming part of, a rear cover of synthetic plastics material.

PATENTEU AUG I 7 Ian 599294 sum 2 or a M chmsv. JOHN A H NY 44mm;

LOOSELEAF BINDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to binders that use springs to bias paper-gripping members towards each other so that loose sheets of paper may be gripped between said members.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior binders for loose sheets of paper have their covers constructed from stifi boards, the front and rear boards of the binder being interconnected by a spine of flexible material, for example of Hessian. Adhesively secured to the spine are two clamping members that are biassed towards each other by one or more curved springs so that sheets of paper may be gripped between the clamping members. The boards, the springs, and the clamping members are obscured from view by decorative material glued to the boards. The materials used are so assembled together that when the covers of the binder are moved sufficiently apart the clamping members are forced to move apart also.

Such binders involve a considerable amount of work in glueing the clamping members to the spring and glueing the spine and the decorative materials to the boards, in a manner ensuring that the clamping members shall be held in position with sufficient rigidity to permit the boards to be used as the means whereby the clamping members may, when desired, be forced apart against the closing action exerted by the springs.

This invention eliminates the difficult step of glueing clamping members to a spine, and a spine and decorative materials to boards, in a manner ensuring that the clamping members shall be held in position with sufficient rigidity to permit the boards to be used as the means whereby the clampingmembers may be forced apart. The invention, moreover, provides a simpler, less expensive and quicker means of constructing a looseleaf binder having a clamping members biassed towards each other by curved springs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The looseleaf binders disclosed herein each comprises a pair of clamping members biassed towards each other by one or more curved springs in order that sheets of paper may be gripped between the clamping members, characterized in that there is a first pocket of synthetic plastics material housing one of the clamping elements, and a second pocket of synthetic plastics material housing the other one of the clamping elements, said first pocket being integral with, or forming part of, a front cover of synthetic plastics material; said second pocket being integral with, or forming part of, a rear cover of synthetic plastics material. I

In one construction of the present invention the first pocket comprises inner and outer linings of synthetic plastics material defining the front cover of the binder, and the second pocket comprises inner and outer linings of synthetic plastics material defining the rear cover of the binder. There may be a stiff board between the inner and outer linings of each cover. The inner lining of the front cover extends around the rear of the curved spring or springs and then continues as the inner lining of the rear cover. The outer lining of the front cover extends around the rear of the binder and then continues as the outer lining of the rear cover.

In a further embodiment said first pocket comprises an inner lining and an outer lining of synthetic plastics material sealed together and terminating in a first common edge to which a front cover of synthetic plastics material is secured; and said second pocket comprises an inner lining and an outer lining of synthetic plastics material sealed together and terminating in a second common edge to which a rear cover of synthetic plastics material is secured.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS binder taken along the line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line B-B of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a partial view, broken away, and'showing an inner elevational view of the folder when its front and rear covers are opened out so as to extend away from each other in a common plane;

F IG. 4 is a general view of a second embodiment of a looseleaf binder, in a closed condition and with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of FIG. 4 taken through one of the springs thereof;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of a subassembly for a looseleaf binder;

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along the line C-C of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken along the line D-D of FIG. 6;

F IG. 9 is a cross section through a spring having initially interlocking free ends; t

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross section through a further spring; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the method by which covers may be secured to the subassembly of FIGS. 6 to 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT description thatfollows with respect to FIGS. I to 3 the clamping elements 5 will, for simplicity, be referred to as rods."

The folder also comprises a pair of stiff boards 6, one acting as the front cover and the other acting as the rear cover of the folder. Each board is disposed between inner and outer linings 7, 8 of synthetic plastics that are joined together along the top, bottom and outer edges of each of the boards 6, as illustrated in the drawings.

It will be noticed from FIG. 2 that each rod 5 extends along the rear edge of its associated board so as to liein the plane of the board. Each inner lining 7 extends aroundits associated rod 5 and thereafter is joined to its associated outer lining 8, so as to constitute a seam 12 extending parallel to the rod 5. Each rod 5 and its associated board 6 isthus contained in a pocket 5A defined by the inner and outer linings 7 and 8. Preferably the join 9 extending along the outer edge of a board and the seam 12 extending parallel to the other edge of the board are such that the board 6 and its associated rod 5 have little, if any, freedom of movement within the pocket 5A defined by the linings 7 and 8.

It will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 3 that the the instances in which a rod 5 is not enclosed within a pocket 5A defined by the linings 7 and 8 are those instances in which the rod 5 is embraced by the curled ends 4 of the spring clips I. In such instances the inner lining 7 passes between the curled ends 4 and the boards 6.

The inner linings 7 may be integral and extend in the form of an inner loop 10 around the spring clip I. In a similar manner the outer linings 8 may also be integral and extend in an outer loop II around the spring clip 1.

When it is desired to insert, or remove, loose leaves from the folder the two boards 6 are swung rearwardly from thesetting illustrated in FIG. 1 until they abut against the corners where the straight arms 3 meet the curved base 2. Any further rearward movement of the boards 6 then cause a lever action to be set up' in a manner causing the pockets 5A to pull the rods 5 further apart. The loose leaves can then be inserted, or removed, and thereafter the boards 6 are swung back to a setting in which the pockets 5A permit the rods 5 to move to their closed setting.

Although only one spring clip I has been illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the'drawings it will be appreciated that the binder of In addition, the spring clips need not be as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. They can, if desired, be of a curved form that may, for example, match or be similar in shape to the inner loop 10 of the binder. Alternatively, the spring clips 1 may be of substantially circular form, said circular form being broken at one point and the broken end may then extend in the curled manner indicated at 4 in FIG. 1 about the rods 5.

In a second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, springs 14 of rounded cross section are utilized. Each spring 14, as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 5, has opposed ends each of which extends into a channel or clamping element 15. Each channel orclamping element 15 is of elongated form and extends the length of, or substantially the length of, the height of the binder. In the description that follows in respect of FIGS. 4 and 5 each element 15 will, for reasons of simplicity, be referred to as a channel.

- As" in the previous embodiment the binder. again comprises a front and rear cover, each cover being constituted by a stiff board 6 housed between an inner lining 7 and an outer lining 8, the linings 7 and 8 being of synthetic plastics.

Each board is completely housed within its associated linings 7 and 8 by sealing said linings together at 9 along the top, front and bottom of each board 6. Where the linings meet at'the rear edge of the board contained therein, the linings 7 and 8 are sealed together as at 16. The sealed areas 9 and 16 are preferably such that the boards have little, if any, freedom of movement within the linings 7 and 8.

Each channel 15 is housed within an individual pocket or sleeve 15A by causing the inner end 7A of each inner lining 7 to be wrapped around the rear of its associated channel'15 and then be sealed as at 17 to the outer binder loop 10 previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The sealed areas 17 do not, of course, extend over those areas past which the springs 14 must pass to enter the channels 15. The channels 15 are of rigid material of adequate strength to facilitate the opening of the looseleaf binder by means of the pockets 15A.

It will be appreciated that in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, that the front and end covers may be pivoted apart to such an extent that each cover will eventually reach such a setting that they can act as levers, using the rigidity of the springs 14 as fulcrums, to cause the pockets in which the channels 15 are housed to move the channels 15 apart. Loose leaves can then be inserted in the resulting gap between the inner linings 7 and the covers can then be permitted to return to a setting in which the channels 15 are permitted to grip the loose leaves therebetween.

It will be appreciated that whereas it is preferable for the boards 6 to be included between the linings 7 and 8, these boards may, if desired, be omitted. If the boards 6 are not present then the looseleaf binders can be opened by simply pulling the front and rear covers away from each other.

It will also be appreciated that the boards 6 may be made of any suitable material.

If desired, the inner linings 7 need not terminate at the seam 17 but may extend around the inner periphery of the loop 11 so as to form a further loop of plastics material within the loop 1 1.

FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate a further embodiment of the present invention. namely a subassembly to which covers are to be secured to form a looseleaf binder.

Each subassembly comprises as least one spring 18 that is accurately curved at its rear end and has converging sidearms 19. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the arms 19 are illustrated as lying in a common plane but this is by way of example only. Each arm 19 is curled at its end 4 so as to embrace a rod or clamping element 5. The spring 18 thus holds a pair of parallel or clamping 7 passes along the front of the board 20, each end of this material being then doubled back on itself as at 21A to pass around one side of an associated rod 5 and to terminate'in an edge 21B positioned forwardly of its rod 5. A second layer 22 of synthetic plastics material passes along the rear of the board 20, each end of this material being then wrapped around an associated edge of the board 20 in a manner overlapping part of an associated extent 21A of the first lay er then passing;

around the opposite side of its associated rod 5 to terminate an edge 22B coterrninus with an edge 21B of said first layer. The layers 21 and 22 are welded to each other as at X and Y on substantially opposite sides of the rods 5 to form pockets 5A in which the rods 5 are housed. The layers 21 and 22 are also joined as at Z to form a pocket for the board 20. i

The second layer 22 is, of course, suitably apertured where necessary to permit the converging sidearms 19 to pass therethrough and allow the ends 4 to embrace the rods 5. Alternatively the second layer 22 is omitted in each region where a spring 18 is positioned, as in FIG. 8, it being appreciated that each subassembly preferably comprises a plurality of the springs 18 spaced apart along the rods 5.

The springs 18 need not, of course, be specifically as illus trated in FIGS. 7 and 8. They may, for example, initially be as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 in which the curled ends 4 are of castellated form so that before the rods 5 are passed through the curled ends 4, the curled ends 4 of one arm 19 are in coaxial alignment with the curled ends 4 of the other arm 19. In the further spring 18 illustrated in FIG. 11 the spring is substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 except that the converging sidearms 19 are no longer in a common plane but converge in a direction extending away from the curved rear end of the spring.

In FIG. 7 the edges 21B and 22B that extend away from one rod 5 are welded to each other along their length to constitute a first edge of double thickness illustrated schematically at 23 in FIG. 12. In a similar manner the edges 21B and 2213 that extend away from the other rod 5 in FIG. 7 are welded to each other along their length to constitute a second edge of double thickness illustrated schematically at 24 in FIG. 12.

Fig. 12 illustrates how welding electrodes 25 may be used to weld the edges 23, 24 to the edges 9 of covers comprised of inner and outer linings 7, 8 of synthetic plastics material, each cover enclosing a stiff board 6. A barrier board 26 separates the edges 23, 24 during the welding operation in a manner ensuring that the edges 23, 24 are not united to each other. The covers may be joined to each other by synthetic plastics material that extends around the rear face of the spring 18 in a manner hiding the springs and giving the looseleaf binder a finished appearance.

By moving the covers apart about the spring 18, the covers will cause the pockets 5A to pull the rods 5 apart in a manner permitting loose leaves to be inserted between, or removed from between, the rods 5.

It will be appreciated that the covers illustrated in FIG. 12 can, if desired, be replaced by flexible covers. By pulling the flexible covers apart-ina common plane the pockets 5A will cause the rods 5 to move apart.

While some embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

I. A looseleaf binder having at least one spring, each spring having two sidearms, one sidearm engaging part of the length of a first clamping element, the other sidearm engaging part of the length of a second clamping element, at least some of the remaining length of the first clamping element being housed in a first pocket comprising inner and outer linings of synthetic plastics material defining the front cover of the binder, and at least some of the remaining length of the second clamping element being housed in a second pocket comprising inner and outer linings of synthetic plastics material defining the rear cover of the binder, said pockets serving as means whereby force can be applied to the spring or springs to cause said clamping elements to move away from each other, the inner lining of the front cover extending around the rear of the spring or springs and then continuing as the inner lining of the rear cover.

2. A binder as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the outer lining of the front cover extends around the rear of the spring or springs and then continues as the outer lining of the rear cover.

3. A looseleaf binder having at least one spring, each spring having two sidearms, one sidearm engaging part of the length of a first clamping element, the other sidearm engaging part of the length of a second clamping element, at least some of the remaining length of the first clamping element being housed in a first pocket comprising an inner and outer lining of synthetic plastics material sealed together, said inner and outer linings of the first pocket terminating in a first common edge to which a front cover of synthetic plastics material is secured, and at least some of the remaining length of the second clamping element being housed in a second pocket comprising an inner lining and an outer lining of synthetic plastics material sealed together, said inner and outer linings of the second pocket terminating in a second common edge to which a rear cover of synthetic plastics material is secured, said pockets serving as means whereby force can be applied to the spring or springs to cause said clamping elements to move away from each other.

4. A binder as in claim 3, and wherein the inner lining of the first pocket is integral with the inner lining of the second pocket and extends in the form of a first loop therebetween; and wherein at least some of the outer lining of the first pocket is integral with at least some of the outer lining of the second pocket and extends in the form of a second loop therebetween.

5. A binder as claimed in claim 4 and including a stiff member extending between said first and second loops.

6. A binder as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said first and second loops are within the spring or springs.

7. A binder as claimed in claim 3 and in which each of said covers comprises inner and outer linings enclosing a stiff board therein. 

1. A looseleaf binder having at least one spring, each spring having two sidearms, one sidearm engaging part of the length of a first clamping element, the other sidearm engaging part of the length of a second clamping element, at least some of the remaining length of the first clamping element being housed in a first pocket comprising inner and outer linings of synthetic plastics material defining the front cover of the binder, and at least some of the remaining length of the second clamping element being housed in a second pocket comprising inner and outer linings of synthetic plastics material defining the rear cover of the binder, said pockets serving as means whereby force can be applied to the spring or springs to cause said clamping elements to move away from each other, the inner lining of the front cover extending around the rear of the spring or springs and then continuing as the inner lining of the rear cover.
 2. A binder as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the outer lining of the front cover extends around the rear of the spring or springs and then continues as the outer lining of the rear cover.
 3. A looseleaf binder having at least one spring, each spring having two sidearms, one sidearm engaging part of the length of a first clamping element, the other sidearm engaging part of the length of a second clamping element, at least some of the remaining length of the first clamping element being housed in a first pocket comprising an inner and outer lining of synthetic plastics material sealed together, said inner and outer linings of the first pocket terminating in a first common edge to which a front cover of synthetic plastics material is secured, and at least some of the remaining length of the second clamping element being housed in a second pocket comprising an inner lining and an outer lining of synthetic plastics material sealed together, said inner and outer linings of the second pocket terminating in a second common edge to which a rear cover of synthetic plastics material is secured, said pockets serving as means whereby force can be applied to the spring or springs to cause said clamping elements to move away from each other.
 4. A binder as in claim 3, and wherein the inner lining of the first pocket is integral with the inner lining of the second pocket and extends in the form of a first loop therebetween; and wherein at least some of the outer lining of the first pocket is integral with at least some of the outer lining of the second pocket and extends in the form of a second loop therebetween.
 5. A binder as claimed in claim 4 and including a stiff member extending between said first and second loops.
 6. A binder as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said first and second loops are within the spring or springs.
 7. A binder as claimed in claim 3 and in which each of said covers comprises inner and outer linings enclosing a stiff board therein. 